Falling For You
by Maugurt
Summary: AU. No one knew about the way she would steal glances at the girl next door. Ever since she was five, she'd been drawn to her. She tried to befriend her many times back then, always knocking on the door with various reasons as to why they would be the best of friends.


**AN: This is a vignette kind of story that gives you small glimpses of Piper's life and it is just a huge pile of fluff. ****Happy reading, my lovelies!**

No one knew about the way she would steal glances at the girl next door. Ever since she was five, she'd been drawn to her. She tried to befriend her many times back then, always knocking on the door with various reasons as to why they would be the best of friends. The raven haired girl always smiled and told her; "I am five years older. You're too young, kid." Every time she got that answer, she would frown and say that she wasn't like the other kids. When that wasn't a good enough reason for the other to hang out with her, she forced her mother to hire the raven haired girl as her baby sitter. Although it wasn't the sincere relationship she wanted, she got to spend time with her neighbor.

They usually watched movies, but sometimes the teenager would take her to the small kiosk not more than a few blocks away. She said that a kid deserved some ice cream from time to time and if the blonde didn't like her already, she sure did after that. Other times they would take their bikes to the nearby lake and spend the day there. They spent much time together as the blonde's mother was a very busy woman. The raven haired girl got plenty of money from the long baby sitting gigs, money she always put in a shoe box under her bed. "A little something for the future," she would say when the younger girl asked about it.

When the older girl had to study, the blonde got to read the books in her bookcase. She usually picked up Alice In Wonderland as the story intrigued her the most. There was something so exciting about being able to leave your every day life behind and venture into something abnormal. Except it felt kind of bad calling Wonderland abnormal as everything there was their normal. That book made her realize that what some people viewed as strange, was someone else's normalcy. No one was weird as everyone had different perceptions of life. Alex had given the book to her one day, saying it was a belated birthday gift. She had clutched it to her chest and sworn she would cherish it forever.

One warm summer night, just a few days after her ninth birthday, she'd confessed her undying love for the older girl. She had laughed her warm, loving laugh and said that she'd consider when the little blonde had grown some. The young girl pouted, but then accepted it, taking it to heart and planned the steps she needed to take in order to make the raven haired girl fall in love with her. First on the list was to grow a few inches.

The blonde didn't give up, but one day the other girl wasn't home anymore. She went to live with her father in another state as she was starting high school. It would be at least four years before she could meet her again. "Piper, darling. Alex will probably not come back," her mother had said, convinced that the raven haired teenager would look for a good college where she had moved. The young girl wouldn't have any of it.

xxx

Five years went by and Alex still hadn't come back to the small neighborhood. Piper's heart had a constant, dull ache from missing the older girl so much. Even though so much time had gone by, she still had strong feelings for the other. She missed the way she smirked when Piper did something stupid, she missed the way she adjusted her thick rimmed glasses and she missed the way she laughed. The blonde packed her bag as she prepared for the first day of high school. If Alex had been home again, she could have helped her with her future homework.

She stepped outside and glanced sideways, looking for that familiar face in front of the blue house beside hers. A sigh left her mouth as she was yet again disappointed. Walking to the bus stop, she couldn't help but imagine what it would be like to have the raven haired teenager beside her, holding her hand. She wasn't by any means an unhappy kid, not at all, but the first day of high school had her thinking about the day Alex had left for her first day. Also, she had received a postcard from the raven haired teenager the other day, wishing her good luck, and she was feeling sentimental.

When she reached the bus stop, another girl stood there, looking as nervous as she felt. She had long, brown hair with a diadem holding it back and rather posh looking clothes. Piper had never seen a girl look so casual in a blouse and skirt. Not like, casual casual, but like, casual as in laid back. The girl didn't look like an uptight bitch.

"Good morning." She tried to sound composed, but heard her own voice waver. The brunette gave her a once over, as if to look for any flaws, before she smiled. Apparently she passed some unknown test and apparently the other girl was a bitch after all.

"Good morning to you too. I'm sorry for that whole, you know-" she said and waved her hand in a vague gesture. "but I swear to God, the people in this neighborhood... geez." The blonde gave out a nervous laugh-cough hybrid and turned her eyes to the ground. An awkward silence settled between the two as they stood next to each other and kicked some pebbles. They both seemed uncomfortable and it didn't really sit well with Piper. She didn't want to have an enemy or whatever on her first day in her new school.

"I'm sorry. I swear I'm not a full on bitch. It's just- There are some... bad eggs here, but you didn't seem like an awful person." The blonde focused on one of the pebbles laying in front of her feet, not really wanting to meet the other's eyes. She was curious, though, as to why the brunette felt the need to explain herself. The words leaving her mouth, however, didn't really make anything clearer.

"I'm not quite sure I follow..." she said hesitantly.

"Trust me when I say that you do not want friends from around here. They are bitches who bully because they can. I mean, I won't lie, I can be a bitch, but these people are just awful."

xxx

The summer before college was spent working. She and her friend Polly had worked at the local pool all summer, making sure no one drowned. It didn't give much money, but it was fun. Even if the other girl had given her a weird first impression, the two of them had been connected by the hip since then, even going as far as sleeping naked next to each other. Well, half naked since they both had underwear on. It was a bit weird and uncomfortable at first, but Polly had no shame what so ever and since it wouldn't lead anywhere, _ever_, the blonde relaxed and then it wasn't such a big deal anymore.

The brunette had flirted with a lot of guys, as per usual, but by the end of the summer she and an Australian guy named Pete started dating. They were quite the couple, always being disgustingly cute and domestic or making out and forcing Piper into awkward third wheeling. Other than that, the blonde was happy that she had agreed to work all summer. Not that she really needed it. She'd gotten anything she wanted ever since she was a kid, but it felt nice earning money for herself for once. Since she had worked hard to earn it, she didn't have to listen to her mother rant about putting it on better things. It didn't mean that her mother _hadn't_ ranted, but Piper had simply decided not to listen.

She had heard from her mother one day that Alex had dropped by with an old forgotten sweater, making Piper run to the neighboring house, only to miss the other by the minute. It was like she wasn't allowed to move on. Not that she wanted to. She still had hopes on getting together with the older teenager, even if that meant waiting for a couple of years. Whenever she said that to Polly, however, the brunette sighed and forced her out to parties. It wasn't like she enjoyed being single and pushing people away, but flirting with others felt like cheating even if she wasn't in a committed relationship. Even the memories of Alex had her heart fluttering and none of Polly's candidates came close to that. There was no comparison.

Both Piper and Polly got accepted into the same college, the blonde majoring in English Literature and the brunette in Marketing. One day Polly had rushed into their room with tears streaming down her face, claiming that men were the scum of the earth and that it was better to be single anyway. Just like that, Piper wasn't pestered with potential partner propositions as double dates were out of the question. Instead they stayed in and watched movies while binging ice cream like it wasn't the biggest cliche known to man kind.

xxx

Thirteen years had passed since she proclaimed her love for Alex. Present Piper knew that her childhood crush was just a distant dream. She still felt strongly for the other, but she had realized that the chance of them meeting again was slim to non. It was probably more of a nostalgic memory than actual feelings anyway.

Piper's mother had convinced her and Cal, one of her two brothers, to stay at home over the summer. It was the first summer after the divorce and the blonde figured her mother didn't want to be alone. Not that her father was very present before the separation, but knowing that he wasn't going to walk in through the front door took a toll on her. So Piper did what any decent daughter would do and went back to the house she grew up in. The first days were spent reminiscing the past; sitting under the large oak on their lawn and daydreaming, walking up and down the calm streets of the neighborhood, sitting in the swing seat on the front porch and reading a good book. A week in, she helped her mother pack her father's remaining belongings into boxes, something he was too lazy to do, apparently. He was too busy making himself a new home with that woman. Piper swore she would hit her if they ever met. That, or just give her the silent treatment. She was never really a fighter.

It was a warm evening and the blonde couldn't find a better way to spend it than by sitting in the worn swing seat with her favorite story from her childhood. She wore a sweet and private smile, like the book in her hands was a secret. Her fingers graced the fading image of a stressed looking rabbit, clutching a pocket watch to his heart. There weren't many pictures in the old book, but the ones it did have were quite exquisite with their bountiful details. Piper remembered being disappointed with the lack of colors as they were in black and white, but it left more to the imagination, something she came to appreciate with age. She began reading one of the pages, but was soon disrupted by a harkle. Startled, she looked up from the yellowing pages and was met by vibrant emerald. Her eyes widened as she stood up and launched into the arms of a tall, raven haired woman, clinging to her like a baby to its mother.

"I missed you so much, Alex! It's been so long!" she exclaimed happily, willing herself to calm down and step away, keeping an arm length's distance. The other woman gave out a raspy kind of laugh, eyes crinkling as she did, and shook her head in a fond way. Piper bit her lip, but couldn't keep herself from smiling. Alex was pretty much the only person she could remember from her childhood and even if she couldn't possibly be in love with her, she still felt excited. The blonde wasn't a naïve kid anymore. She had since long realized that love required maintenance and if it wasn't fueled, it dissipated. It was also quite obvious that a child didn't know the first thing about love.

"I missed you too, kid," the raven haired woman answered, voice slow and rich, but somehow raspy at the same time. Piper felt her body getting covered in goose bumps, nearly dropping the book she had completely forgotten about. She put it down on the swing seat and turned around to face the other again, awkwardly shifting her weight from one foot to the other. Alex's eyes wandered over the blonde's body, making her blush and feel flustered, but completely at ease at the same time. There was something so comforting in having the other's attention. Piper had admired the other for such a long time and having her in such close proximity made her stomach slightly chaotic. All the feelings she had built up during the years attacked her all at once and it really wasn't that weird that her abdomen chose to make its existence known when the older woman stood right in front of her. She let herself take in the raven haired woman's beauty, saving it in her special Alex photo album inside her head. Starting at the feet and making her way up as slowly as socially acceptable, she noticed that her stance was just like when they were younger. She still had that same confidence and stood with both feet steadily on the ground. Her thighs had become slightly thicker, but the blonde highly doubted that it was anything other than muscles. It took every piece of self control not to reach out and touch them. Alex's hips made her fingers even more tingly, curving just right and contributing perfectly to her hourglass figure. Piper made sure to take in the way the other's bosom looked when she breathed, rising and falling in a steady rhythm. She could stare at her chest all day. Instead, her eyes continued their journey upwards and settled on the plump lips, slowly turning into a humored smile. The blonde almost lost her breath when she noticed that the raven haired woman had gotten dimples. She had a strong urge to kiss them.

"Loving your _very subtle_ staring and all, but I came to borrow a bucket from your mother." Piper's gaze snapped up to the other's green eyes. Apparently, her idea of socially acceptable was way too slow and way too obvious.

"Oh." she said, cheeks heating up. She ducked her head, staring at her own feet. A thick silence hung heavy between them as the seconds ticked by. It felt weird not knowing how to behave around the other. When they were younger, they always spoke like they'd known each other forever. There were never any awkward moments. Maybe she had too high expectations, having fantasized about their future meeting for years. She couldn't really know that the other would be the same as when they were younger. For all she knew, Alex could be a complete bore. Not that she had given off such vibes and she _had_ been sarcastic not even five minutes earlier.

"So are you gonna invite me in or are your feet _that_ fascinating?" Alex asked, sounding amused. The blonde looked up and was met by a wide grin. So bore wasn't the noun to describe the other. She blushed again, or harder maybe, she wasn't sure if her previous blush had faded or not.

"O-Of course. As in let you in. My feet are not that fascinating. Feet rarely are," Piper stuttered and stumbled into her mother's house, _almost_ forgetting to open the front door and walking right into it. As they came into the hall, the blonde could feel the heat radiating from the other. They were standing so close to each other and if Piper leaned back just a little, their bodies would touch. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes for a second, feeling almost drunk by the other's presence.

"Mom. Alex wants your bucket," Piper shouted, not really knowing where her mother was. Alex snorted behind her. Confused, she turned around and faced the other with eyebrows slightly furrowed. The other woman didn't give her an answer, but cocked one of her eyebrows instead, as if to get the blonde's thoughts running. She used to do that when Piper didn't get a joke, refusing to explain it as that would ruin the whole thing. Piper used to get so mad. Instead of going back to childish behavior and getting angry, though, she raised both eyebrows in a silent question.

"I want your mother's bucket? Come on, kid. That one's easy," Alex said, wide smirk plastered on her lips. The blonde thought for a second. What was so funny about a bucket?

"Oh, come on. You can't be serious. That was the worst innuendo ever," she said, looking at the raven haired woman sceptically. Growing up with Cal, she had heard her fair share of bad innuendos, but referring to a vagina as a bucket? The other woman gave out short laughter, clearly agreeing with her.

"God, you're such a weirdo." Piper couldn't cover up the fondness in her voice even if she tried. The drama classes in high school hadn't payed off, it seemed. She watched as Alex's face relaxed again, a ghost of a smile visible on her lips. The other had turned into such a beautiful woman and the blonde felt kind of bleak standing next to her. There was just something about the raven haired woman that made Piper forget to breathe. The taller woman's eyes seemed to flicker down to the blonde's lips, making Piper clench her jaw for a second. She swallowed before wetting her lips, wanting to say something. No words seem to find their way to her tongue, though. Maybe words were unnecessary. Maybe they could just sort of... Happen.

"What is it, darling? Oh, Alex. Hello." Piper turned around, staring at her mother like she had walked in on them doing much worse things than just looking at each other.

"Hello, Carol. I came for the bucket?" Alex seemed so much more composed than Piper. Her voice didn't even waver. Had the blonde just imagined the tension between them?

"Oh, of course. It's in the basement. Piper, dear, would you show her down? I've got plenty to do already and you know how hard it is finding things down there. Your father was never particularly organized." Piper nodded, not getting any chance to speak as her mother continued talking about all the supposed garbage they had in the cellar. Carol cut the conversation short when the phone rang, excusing herself to go answer.

"She's exactly the same," Alex said while opening the door and stepping out on the front porch. She was right. Piper remembered her mother rushing through the house to get everything done in time. Always busy with work. As an art dealer, one's schedule could be very hectic and irregular. "It is important to have everything under control, especially when there's a lot to do," she said when Piper had asked her why she was always in a hurry.

"Yeah. Except now she's busying herself even more to fill the void my dad left." Realizing what she'd just said, she took a deep breath and held it. It wasn't a secret, but she didn't know on what basis she and Alex was. Did the other consider her a friend? They weren't actually friends when they were younger. The raven haired woman was her baby sitter. Piper liked to think that they actually became friends, but five years is quite a big age difference when young.

"I'm sorry to hear that, Pipes. You can always talk to me if there's anything you'd like to get off your chest, you know." The blonde released the breath she was holding, feeling all warm inside. A smile formed on her lips, cheeks feeling slightly warmer again.

"Thank you, Al. Really"

x

Piper stumbled out the front door, wine glass in one hand and the other covering her mouth. She tried to be quiet, she really did, but Alex's hand was on her hip for leverage and it _tickled_. Both had had a few drinks and they were in that stage when everything's funny. The raven haired woman shut the door behind herself and walked over to the porch railing, gripping it tightly and taking a deep breath. The blonde sat down on the swing seat and watched as the raven haired beauty turned to her, still holding onto the railing behind her back. They eyed each other in silence, still grinning from their previous conversation. Piper had told her about the time she'd accidentally dropped the toaster on their tile floor and was too ashamed to admit it. She'd spent hours trying to fix it with hot glue, not realizing that the glue would heat up again when heated up. Needless to say, her mother got an unexplained, sticky substance on her toast.

"Fuck, I left my beer inside," Alex said after some silence. She made a vague gesture towards the door before she ventured inside again. They hadn't been that discreet while walking outside, but the blonde figured that the other wouldn't make as much noise on her own.

She took a sip from her wine, letting the red liqueur dance over her tongue before swallowing it. It wasn't exactly Château Pétrus, but it was definitely not a bad wine either. It seemed to do the job of getting her intoxicated too, so that was always a plus. Piper thought about the successful evening. She had invited the other to dinner and it didn't take long for them to converse freely and fall into small banter. It was as if they hadn't been apart at all. They talked about all the stupid things they'd done as kids, like that time the blonde got a flat tire on their way home from the kiosk and Alex decided to tow her. Both ended up with bloody knees and elbows. Naturally, their conversations got further and further away from the original topic and soon they talked about what happened after the other had moved. Alex told her about Nicky, a brunette who was very vulgar, but very kind hearted, and Piper told the other about Polly. She couldn't help but feel a bit jealous. The brunette was obviously very dear to the raven haired woman as she spoke about her with such a warm expression. They weren't together, though. Alex had told her that Nicky already had a girlfriend when they'd met, making the blonde feel more at ease. Piper heard the door creak open, seeing the other woman emerge with her beer, a wine glass and the newly opened wine bottle.

"I figured we could drink it as it's already open," she said while struggling to close the door. The blonde was just about to stand up and help the other as the door clicked shut. Without further words, Alex sat down next to her on the swing seat, putting the glass and bottle on the porch floor. Piper watched as she took a sip from the beer bottle, how the lips formed around the opening and how the tongue caught the little droplet trying to escape. She had never been so jealous of a bottle before.

"I'm really glad that you're home." She wasn't sure if the words she heard were spoken of she'd just imagined them, but when Alex looked at her expectantly, her stomach fluttered. Maybe the other woman was starting to fall for her. Or was she reading between the lines?

"Me too. I really did miss you. _A lot_."

"I really missed you too. It felt weird not having a little brat gawking at me all the time." A grin spread across the other's lips. Piper tried to bite down the smile creeping up on her lips, but failed quite miserably. With a half-smile, half-pout, she playfully punched the others arm.

"I was not a brat. And I was not gawking." It felt futile defending herself as the other was absolutely right about her. She was the worst brat and she always stared at Alex. Still did, actually. Stared, that is. Whatever divine forces had made the raven haired woman obviously knew what they were doing.

"Oh, _please_. Were you, or were you not around me all the time?"

"You were my babysitter. I had to be around you." Piper argued weakly, not even trying to sound convincing.

"You forced your mother to hire me." The blonde's mouth dropped open. "Yeah. She told me about that," Alex said with a wide grin.

"But I was not gawking."

"You're just saying that for the sake of arguing. You're still a little brat." Alex was laughing and if the blonde didn't find it so adorable, she would've hit her again. Not that a playful punch would shut the other up. Instead, she crossed her arms and pouted, only confirming the other's accusation. Alex's laughter died down, but not the grin nor the glint in her eyes. She took another sip of the liquid before she rose from her seat, walking towards the railing again. Taking a cigarette from the packet she'd laid on the wooden railing earlier that night, she lit it up and took a deep drag. Piper had never been much for smoking, had tried it once and absolutely hated it, but it seemed to calm the raven haired woman down. Her features softened, as if the cigarette helped her figure out something she'd been pondering. There was something different in her expression. Even as the smoke got in her face, she looked... Alive. Like that one cigarette was exactly what she needed to let go of her weights. She took a few more drags before she put the butt into the bottle, the beer putting it out completely.

"Do you... Do you wanna come sit with me again?" Piper asked hesitantly. Alex nodded and sat down next to her. The atmosphere was completely changed. How could a cigarette do so much? The blonde swallowed as the other woman inched closer. She took it as some kind of invite and put her hand on Alex's leg, stroking it gently with her thumb. The other stopped her movements, making Piper panic and pull her hand away.

"Oh, no, it's fine," the raven haired woman blurted out. For the first time ever, Piper saw hesitation in the other's face. Even her voice was laced with nervousness.

"I think I'm falling for you."

She stared at the other woman who adjusted her glasses. It seemed like a subconscious move, like it was something she did out of habit when nervous.

"I know it's kind of crazy. We've hung out for a day, but like... I know you, Piper, and-" She took a breath, seemingly trying to gather her thoughts properly. All the blonde could do was wait for the other to finish, not really believing what she was hearing.

"I think that … when you have a connection with someone, it never really goes away. You snap back to being important to each other because you still are. You were so special to me all those years ago and now I'm older, we both are, and I've kept you in my heart. You are still so special to me, Piper. Still so important."

xxx

Billions of stars were splattered around on the big, black canvas above their heads. The two of them walked hand in hand, slowly while little grains of sand covered their feet with each step. There was a comfortable silence between them, the only sound breaking it being the waves crashing against the shore. They had walked along the beach for an hour or so, making small talk while the darkness engulfed the fiery sky that left speckles of white in its wake. It was a tradition of theirs, taking long walks by the ocean whenever they had time. Both had quite demanding jobs, so it didn't happen all that often unfortunately. They were better at keeping it up when they were younger. The first three years had seen many sunsets, the two of them making sure to head out every weekend. Piper smiled at the memory and rested her head on her lovers arm, holding onto it like Alex would ascend if she didn't.

"Pipes," the other woman whispered, seemingly afraid to disrupt the peaceful silence. The blonde gave out a soft humming sound.

"I really love you."

"I love you too, Al." They stopped walking, the raven haired woman turning to Piper and taking both hands into hers. She wore a warm smile that had the blonde's cheeks heating up. Even after five years, Alex managed to make her blush like a teenager.

"I've wanted to take you here for such a long time now, but we've both been so busy. It sucks. But now we're here." the raven haired woman gave out a chuckle before she continued.

"We've been together for five years and you're still the last person I think about before I fall asleep. You are still the first person I think about when I wake up. Even during the hard times, I know I will be fine because I have you. You are, by far, the most amazing person I have ever met," she said, kissing one of Piper's hands. "You are my inspiration, my light, my sun. My whole world revolves around you and I wouldn't have it any other way. Piper Elizabeth Chapman, I promise to love you for as long as you let me. Will you be my wife?" Alex had probably only said two words before the blonde realized what was happening. Her eyes were filled to the brim with salty tears, lips smiling so widely her cheeks hurt. The dull pain didn't bother her even the slightest, though, as the other gazed at her expectantly, looking nervous, but smiling lovingly non the less. Piper gave out a short laugh, sounding more like a sob, and nodded, pressing her lips together into a thin line. She swallowed hard and took a shaky breath through her nose.

"Yes. Oh my God, yes. Of course," she said between sniffles, tears finally spilling. They fell into a bone crushing embrace, both letting out relieved a laughter. Alex let go first, putting both hands on Piper's cheeks instead and kissing her hard. They had discussed engagement before and agreed that they would wait until things slowed down a bit. Piper was in the middle of expanding her publishing company and the other woman was almost done with her book. Alex was apparently a bit impatient, though, and the blonde had absolutely no problems with that. They stood close to each other for a while, forehead against forehead and with arms draped around the other's waist, breathing each other's air and just enjoying the moment.

"Shit, I fucked up," Alex chuckled lowly.

"What do you mean?" Piper asked, confused.

"I have a ring in my pocket and I forgot to give it to you." They both laughed quietly, but did noting to retrieve said object, neither wanting to let go of the other for even a second.

"Let's just pretend that I have a ring around my finger for a while," the blonde whispered, tightening the grip on the other's waist. Alex breathed out a faint affirmative before connecting their lips again.

xxx

"Pipes, can I come-"

"Alex, no! You know it's bad luck to see the bride before the wedding!" Piper rushed to the door and leaned against it, back touching the wooden surface and legs angled to put even more weight against it. She could hear a defeated sigh from the hallway, but kept breathing heavily, like there was a killer on the other side of the door and not her soon to be wife. She froze completely, staring straight ahead with a gaping mouth. Alex would be her wife in just under an hour. It was literally a childhood dream of hers, and it was finally happening. Polly rolled her eyes and walked over to the blonde, grabbing her shoulders.

"Don't be such a drama queen. Yeah, I said it. And don't frown, you'll get wrinkles." Ignoring her friend's warning, she frowned and narrowed her eyes.

"Today is my wedding day and you're supposed to be comforting, not a bitch."

"I'm sorry, Pipes, but it's in my nature," the brunette said with a smirk, making Piper roll her eyes.

"Now, can you please move so I can figure out what your fiancee wants?" The blonde straightened up and stepped away from the door to avoid the risk of being seen, cheeks heating up by Polly's choice of word. Her friend opened the door and stuck her head out into the hallway.

"Alex," she said, sounding snide.

"Holly." Piper rolled her eyes again. Even after six years, the two of them still acted like they were in kindergarten.

"Can you please tell Piper that our pianist got run over by a bike and can't preform?" The blonde sat down on a conveniently placed chair behind her and stared at the floor in front of her. What would they do without a pianist? They couldn't have a wedding without music. She almost ran her hands through her hair, but remembered in the last second that the stylist had already pulled it up into a delicate hairdo.

"She can hear you, dipshit."

"Oh, fuck off Poppy," Alex said, sounding more tired than anything. "We do have a solution, though. One of my friends can play." Piper stood up, maybe a little too quickly and nodded frantically.

"Yes! Let her play. Okay, now go away Al before I get tempted. I don't want you to see me yet."

x

The blonde was practically hyperventilating by the time the piano started playing. She paced around the small hallway, fanning her face with both hands. Nothing had ever made her as nervous as waiting for her cue to enter the ceremony hall. It was just a wedding for Christ sake! Her wedding. She was about marry the love of her life. Taking a deep breath, she tried her best to calm down. All the photos would look horrendous. Piper would look like a sweating mess and she would have to burn them all up. Her father hooked his arm under hers and forced her to stand still.

"It will be fine, honey. Trust me when I say that all the nerves will disappear when you lay your eyes on your bride." Piper nodded and closed her eyes, taking a deep breath before opening them again. Her father was probably right. He had experienced the horrible wedding stress two times, he was bound to know what he was talking about. She shook her shoulders, hopefully releasing some of her tension.

"Okay, showtime," Polly whispered as the doors opened up. Piper scanned the room with her eyes and was pretty sure her heart stopped beating when they landed on Alex. She had seen the other woman's dress on a hanger, but never on her. It clung to her body so beautifully, following her curves and getting wider just above the knees, unlike her own dress. Piper wore an elegant, straight A-line dress, a rhinestone belt accentuating her waist. She wasn't even halfway down the isle before her eyes got teary. At least the nerves were gone. It was hard to focus on anything other than the beauty she was walking towards. A thin charcoal line around her eyes, thick rimmed glasses framing them and blood red lips. She reminded the blonde of Snow white, if the Disney princess had had rockabilly inspired hair. Alex had her bangs pulled back from her face and the rest hung loosely around her shoulders, slightly curled at the tips. It looked amazing. She looked amazing.

The rest of the walk was so hazy because all Piper could see was Alex, her best friend, her lover, her fiancee. They stood in front of each other, green meeting blue and the blonde tried her hardest not to ruin her make up with tears. She wasn't going to cry, damn it. The raven haired woman took Piper's hands in hers and squeezed them reassuringly. She really was the luckiest woman in the world.

The ceremony went by surprisingly quickly, Piper completely clueless over what had been said. The only thing she heard was an 'I do' from the other and something something 'Do you, Piper Elizabeth Chapman, take Alexandra Dianne Vause to be your lawfully wedded wife' something something. And just like that they were married. After an affirmative from Piper of course. As they walked down the aisle together, she didn't miss the 'I love you, Piper Chapman Vause', though.

xxx

The room was completely dark, save from the bright light coming from Alex's computer screen. Piper walked over to the other, putting both hands on her shoulders.

"Come to bed," she whispered, lips ghosting over the other woman's neck. Alex's fingers stopped tapping on the keyboard almost immediately. When no response came, the blonde but her hands on the armrests and turned the office chair towards herself, the older woman doing nothing to stop the motion.

"You've been working on your book almost non stop for a week now. Why don't you distract your fingers with something else instead?" she asked suggestively, biting down on her bottom lip. Alex's lips formed into a smirk, finally looking less stoic. She put her pointer finger under the blonde's chin, guiding her face closer to her own.

"Go lie down, baby. I'm just gonna shut this down," she whispered against Piper's lips, turning to her computer again. The blonde did as she was told, watching as the other woman saved what she had done. They hadn't had sex in quite some time and she was getting sick of it. People had warned her about what happened to married couples, but she had refused to believe it. Still did, seven years into it. It wasn't like she got sex starved all the time, only when they were really busy, and she wasn't _really_ sex starved. Not at all actually. A while without sex for them usually meant two weeks, three tops, and then they would go crazy and do it wherever was convenient at the time.

Alex shut the laptop and made her way to the bed, wasting no time and straddled the blonde's hips. Piper tried to bite back the grin spreading across her lips, but failed quite spectacularly. She put one hand on the older woman's hip and stroke the skin visible between the tank top and panties with her thumb.

"Mommy?" came a soft voice from the doorway. Alex hurried off and sat down on her side of the bed. The blonde sat up and gave the blonde little girl a warm smile.

"What is it, darling?" The two women said in unison. They exchanged a quick look before returning their attention to the girl.

"There is a dragon in my room and I think he's mad." Piper knitted her eyebrows together in a sympathetic way and walked over to the little blonde, picking her up and putting her on her hip.

"Olivia, baby. Was he mean to you?" she asked, stroking the back of the little girl.

"Yes. He said that it was his room and that I couldn't be there," Olivia said, pouting and seemingly fighting back tears.

"I'm gonna have a talk with him then," Alex said, sounding stern. The little girl nodded, but opened her mouth almost immediately.

"But maybe he can use it tonight. I don't think he has a home. I can sleep in your bed and he can borrow mine."

"That's very nice of you, little olive," Piper said, walking back to bed. Alex left the room and headed straight to their daughter's. Having a kid was no easy job, but the blonde thought they'd done a good job. Both were equally engaged and did their absolute best to give their little Olivia a good upbringing.

"Mommy. I want a lab kit for my fifth birthday," Olivia said after being tucked in next to her mother. Before she could answer she heard a humming sound from the doorway.

"That sounds like a great idea, honey," Alex said before sitting down on her side of the bed.

"Yes. A very great one. What did you say to the dragon?" the little blonde rushed out. The raven haired woman chuckled before laying down, facing Olivia.

"I said that he could stay if he promised to be nice and he agreed. He also apologized for being mean," she said seriously, stroking the little girl's chin.

"Try to sleep now, baby. It's late," Piper chimed in, kissing the top of the blonde scalp.

"Okay. Goodnight mommy, goodnight momma," the kid said before closing her eyes.

It didn't take long before their daughter was fast asleep between them, sucking on her thumb even though both of them had tried to get her to stop. She put a protective hand on the small form next to her, slowly stroking her shoulder. Alex and Piper looked at each other over Olivia's head, smiling sleepily. The older woman took hold of the blonde's hand, lacing their fingers together.

"I love you," she whispered.

"I love you too," Piper answered. And she really did.


End file.
